By Jourdan Reynolds
Guest Column
“The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for:” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part 1, 1: 27.)
Sitting in my living room one Saturday morning, the above text from the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) came to my mind while reading about the Diocese of Davenport’s proactive approach to the increasing shortage of priests.
This issue is not foreign to me, as I remember first hearing about it during my high school years almost a generation ago. Now 15 years later, the issue is being addressed again, but with much more urgency. In my opinion, the world has rapidly changed even in the 15 years since I was a teenager. Technology, the internet and social media are among the sources of that change. In terms of childhood memories and social norms, my upbringing has more in common with those 15 years older than me versus those 15 years younger. The main factor for this is technology and social media platforms.
One thing that has not changed, though, is our desire for God. As my confirmation saint, St. Augustine of Hippo, once said, “… and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.” From St. Augustine’s time to our time and far into the future, the human heart will always have a desire for God, and search for him until we find him.
The Catholic Church teaches us that only through God will we find purpose and identity. We have often heard of the substitutes for God: sex, power, money, drugs and alcohol. Now, almost a quarter into the 21st century, the Church continues to compete against these entities — with the addition of social media. The platforms for Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok not only distract youths but also serve as teachers and parents for them. In a sense, they become substitutes for God. How dangerous and awful this is!
We need to help youths find the truth and happiness for which they are searching — ultimately, their vocation in life, whether to married life, single life, religious life or the priesthood. I anticipate graduating next spring (2025) with a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Iowa. My hope is to become a behavioral health therapist and eventually start a private practice. I would not be where I am today without my parents, teachers, priests and spiritual directors.
Our youths today need mentors such as these to guide them on their search for truth and happiness. They need authentic witnesses to help balance the negative and positive influences of social media and the culture at large. I hope to be an instrument of the Lord to help guide youths on the path that leads to the source of their desire of the human heart — God.
My prayer is that the Parish Planning series will inspire others to see their part in this new initiative of the diocese. We must look forward and work together if we are to be successful and make progress for the next generations to come.
(Jourdan Reynolds, 32, is a parishioner of St. Mary’s in Grinnell.)
